Louis O'Hara (Galway East, Sinn Fein)

I thank the Minister. I met representatives of Shannon Airport recently. I am also on the cross-party Oireachtas group. Obviously every airport wants more airlines but they also want support in terms of policy from the Minister. They want the State aviation policy to reflect the need to develop regional airports.

I want to raise the issue of bus and rail links to airports, in particular Shannon Airport and Knock airport. It is key to supporting their development. Will bus and rail links to regional airports be considered as part of any review? On this issue, it was raised with me recently that additional Bus Éireann Expressway services between Galway and Shannon Airport this summer are being outsourced to private operators. Before this decision was made the NBRU in Galway drafted two comprehensive operational plans that would see existing Bus Éireann resources and personnel deliver these required services but Bus Éireann has not engaged with the NBRU's proposals and has maintained its decision to outsource the services. Will the Minister outline the Government's view on the privatisation of bus services, especially in the context of the services I have mentioned?

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